Apparatus for supplying web material



Filed March 2a, '1942 s'sneets-s'heet 1 Jorge/z f /aase Jan. 25, 1944. 1 HAASE AAPPARATUS FOR SUPPLYIN'G WEB'MATERIAL Filed March 28, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 25, 1944. J. l. HAAsE- APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING WEB MATERIAL lFi. l'ed March 28 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. 5

Jan. 25, 1944. J( |I HAASE y 2,340,267

APPARA'rs Fon suPPLYING WEB MATERIAL Filed March ze, 1942 5 sheets-sheet 4 Jan. 2s, 1944.I

.1. l. HAA'S'E l y 2,340,267 APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING WEB MATERIAL Filed March ze. 1942 5 .sheets-sheet s Patented Jan. 25, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFHCE APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING WEB 'MATE RIAL Jorgen I. Haase, Akron, Ohio, assigner yto Wingfoot Corporation, Akron, Ohio, a corporation'of Delaware This invention relates to apparatus for supplying web material, and, more particularly, is concerned with an automatic service turret for supplying 'and positioning adjacent a tire building 'apparatus the Various materials to be built into a pneumatic tire.

Heretofore, it has been the usual practice to construct a pneumatic tire upon a building drum or core by applying in turn to the building drum the various plies of rubberized fabric, the chafer and breaker strips and finally the tread and side wall. The lengths of rubberized fabric for the building operation are usually carried in liner books which comprise a plurality of fabric leaves or sheets secured along one edge to a backing board. The rubberized fabric plies are cut on a bias-cutter and are positioned between the various leaves of the liner book from which the rubberized fabric plies can be removed as needed by the tire builder. This is a relatively cumbersome and ineicient manner of handling rubberized fabric plies, and some efforts have been made to supply rubberized fabric, chater strips, breaker strips, and the like from rolled liners, but substantially all apparatus of this character has been more complicated and time consuming to use than the well-known liner books with their attendant faults.

Itis the general object of my invention to avoid and overcome the foregoing and other objections to and diiculties of known apparatus for supplying ply or other web material, for example, to or adjacent a tire building machine, and, more broadly, to provide web supplying apparatus of relatively simple, efficient, fully automatic, and easily handled and controlled character.

Another Vobj ect of my invention is the provision of apparatus for supplying web material, and from a plurality of stations, and having associated automatic means for positioning the desired station or stations in turn adjacent the point of web removal.

Another object of my invention is to provide an automatic turret type apparatus for supplying tire building materials adjacent a tire building machine, and' having automatic means for controlling the feeding ci web material from a pluraiity of stations positioned about the turret, and automatic means for indexing the turret.

Another object of my invention is the provision of apparatus for supplying web material and including a plurality of web supplying stations and having associated means with each station whereby the station will not operate when the particular roll of Vweb material carried thereon becomes exhausted.

The 'foregoing and other objects of my invention vare achieved by the provisionrof web material supply apparatus including web material supporting means, means for feeding web material from thesupporting means, automatic means for controlling the operation of the feeding means, and means controlled by the automatic -means for bodily moving the web supporting means.

For a better understanding of my invention reference should be had to the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of one embodiment of apparatus incorporating the principles of my invention;

Fig-2 is a plan view of the apparatus of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View taken on line III'-III of Fig. -1 and illustrating specifically the counter-balanced switch type 'of Yfeed control;

Fig. 4 is a vertical fragmentary crossesectional view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional View taken on line V-V of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 'is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on line VI-VI-of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is aside elevation, on reduced scale, and diagrammatically indicating the mounting and position of web material and a liner with the apparatus;

Fig. 8 is a view illustrating the handling of relatively narrow Web material such as a breaker strip. on the apparatus and is similar to, but of opposite hand from the view of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a schematic wiring diagram of the control means incorporated with the apparatus Although the principles of my invention are broadly applicable to the handling of the web materia-l of various kinds and for a wide Variety of uses, nevertheless, my invention is particularly applicable to the handling of web employed in the construction of a pneumatic tire, and, accordingly, has been so illustrated and will be so described.

In the drawings, the numeral I indicates a post or column carried in a vertical posit-ion by a suitable base l2. The post I0 has a combined radial and thrust bearing I4 Vcarried adjacent its upper end and the bearing supports a flat table i3 forming a part of a rotatable turret, indicated as a whole by the numeral IB. The turret i8 includes a plurality of substantially vertically extending side plates 26 which are secured to the table It and also to a platform 22 which is horizontally positioned below the table and formed with a suitable central aperture to receive the post I0.

Secured to the post lil immediately above the platform 22 is a hub 24 which carries a plurality of circumferentially and vertically spaced cams 26 each one of which engages in turn with an associated limit switch 2'l,` as hereinafter more particularly described. The number of cams 26 is made equal to the number of stations incorporated with the turret, and in the embodiment of the invention illustrated there are three stations, so that there are three cams 26. .The hub 24 is secured in any suitable way, as for example by screws 30 to the post l0, see Fig. 5, and a plurality of rollers 32, such as three, are mounted on the table 22 on vertical axes so as to engage in rolling relation with the outer periphery of the bottom of the hub 24, as best seen in Figs. l and 6.

As already noted, and as evident from Figs. 2 and 3, the turret I8 of the embodiment of the invention illustrated includes three stations. Each station includes a pair of web material supplying mechanisms and each complete mechanism is mounted upon a vertical plate 2D, and the plates 20 of each station are positioned at, or substantially at, right angles to each other. Inasmuch as each web material supplying mechanism is identical to every other web material supplying mechanism, only one of such mechanisms will be particularly described.

Secured in cantilever relation on the plate 2D, and in a vertically central part thereof is a shaft 34 which is adapted to rotatably receive and carry a roll of web material, such as the rubberized fabric ply adapted to be used in a tire building operation. The rubberized fabric web material is wound up in roll form with an interposed liner of suitably treated fabric so that the rubberized fabric web material sticks only lightly to the liner even though the roll of web material and liner is wound under considerable pressure and to reasonably large size. The shaft 34 is stationary and the roll of web material and liner ordinarily includes a wooden, cardboard or metal core which is freely rotatable upon the stationary shaft 34. The shaft 34 may include an abutment collar 3S and a spring positioned stop 38 which will hold the roll of liner and web material in proper rotary position on the shaft 34.

The numeral 45 indicates a shaft journalled in cantilever relation with the plate 2o and adapted to be driven by a motor 42 connected to the shaft 40 through suitable gear means 44. The shaft 40 is adapted'to removably wind up a length of liner material, and may be provided with suitable spring positioned keys (not shown) for holding the roll of wound up liner material in position. An abutment collar 46 may be incorporated with the shaft 40, and the shaft 4D may be formed with a squared end 48 to permit the application of a` hand crank, if 'this be desired. 'I'he -shaft 40 winds up the liner from the shaft 34 after the liner has passed over the several means which will now be described.

As best evident from Fig. `'7, the end of the liner and web material roll mounted on the shaft 34 extends over a stretcher bar 54 which is secured at onel end to the plate 20. The stretcher bar 54 is curved from end to end, and the curve of they bar is positioned so that the liner engages with the bar as with the crown of a'pulley so that the liner is stretched laterally and -substantially all Wrinkles are removed therefrom.

From the stretcher bar 54 the web material and 'Y liner pass together to and over a roller 58rotatably journalled in a cantilever bearing at the top of the plate 2B. A second and a smaller roller 60 is journalled in a cantilever bearing in front of the roller 58 and slightly below the roller 58, and the rollers 58 and 5D are connected together by a chain 62 which extends around suitable sprockets carried at the ends of the rollers 58 and B0 extending beyond the cantilever bearings therefor. The roller 60 has the web material, marked W, passing over the top, and the liner, marked L, passing to the back of and below the roller 6U. Thus, the roller Si) serves to peel the web material W from the liner L.

The liner L after passing over the roller 58 and behind the roller 66 passes in a substantially vertical path down and around a ro-ller 66 positioned adjacent the front bottom of the plate 2U and back and up to, and is wound on the shaft 40. The roller 66 is made segmental and is crowned like the bar 54 so as to give a lateral stretching action tothe liner L and to properly align the liner with the wind up portion of the shaft 4B.

The web materialW after passing over the top and front of the roller 65, and now free of the liner L falls in a substantially vertical path down to a point adjacent and somewhat beyond the bottom of the plate 20.

Means are incorporated in the supplying mechanism just described for automatically stopping the feeding movement of the web material. vOne embodiment of such control means include alight source 'l2 mounted upon a suitable bracket 14 carried by the platform 22 and adapted to throw two beams of light in opposite direction and at an angle of approximately degrees to the web material.

The light thrown from the light source 'l2 passes through a small hole'l formed in an apron 'I8 of opaque material such as sheet metal, which apron has the shape of a horizontally flattened and vertically elongated letter S and which is positioned on a suitable arm so that the end of the dangling web material W will slide down over the apron 18 and cover the opening 16. Mounted behind the opening 16 in the apron 18 is a photo-electric cell unit or assembly 84 which is carried on a bracket 86 secured to the arm 80. The photo-electric cell unit 84 controls the operation of the mot-or 42, all as hereinafter more fullyl explained.

The second manner of controlling the operation of the motor 42 by the amount of Web material fed is illustrated specifically in Figs. 3 and 4 and provides a counterbalanced platform which is engaged by the end of the web material and tilted to operate a motor switch. Specically, thenumeral 9|] indicates a horizontally positioned platform made of Alight material such as wire screen, and carried on an arm`92 pivoted at 94, and having an adjustable counterbalance 96. The platform 90 is positioned in a relatively large opening 98 formed in the apron 18a. A micro switch |00 is associated with each arm 92 and pivot point 94' so that when the end of downwardly fed web material strikes the platform Si) the platform is moved downwardly to throw the micro switch IDD and stop the operation of the motor 42, as particularly described hereinafter. A shelf |02 is preferably associated with the bottom side' of the opening 98 in the apron 180, so as to prevent undesired downward movement of the platform 90.

Generally, the photo-electric cell unit 34 and associated apparatus is employed to control the feeding movement of relatively wide rubberized ings.

fabric tire plies, such as 'specifically illustrated in Fig. 7 of the drawings. The platform 9|) 'and the associated apparatus is used to control'the 'feeding movement of a relatively narrow `band of web material, -for example, the chafer or breaker strip tobe incorporated in a pneumatic tire carcass, all as particularly illustrated in Fig. 8 of lthe draw- This distinction is made because itis more difficult to cause a narrow .band of web Vmaterial to cover and uncover 'the Vsmall opening 16 of the yapron 'I3 than it is to have the relatively narrow web material strike the relatively wide platform A96.

Associated with each one of the plurality of web material feeding mechanisms is a gauging or measuring means which inthe embodiment of the invention illustrated `takes the vform of a triangular plate H adapted to be positioned 'substantially in the plane `of the web material W and between the web material and the liner L.

The bottom of the plate is formed at an angle which is substantially the same as the angle of the cords in the rubberized fabric ply material of the web W. Thus, with the apparatus and web material in the position shown in Fig. 7, an exact length of 'tire building fabric is measured between the opening 1B 1in the apron 18 and the measuring plate |||l,- and it is an easy and rapid operation for the tire building operator to tear off the tire building ply adjacent the bottom angular edge of the measuring plate HU. It will be understood that the plate ||0 does not ordinarily serve `as an anvil against which the web material Yis cut or torn, although it can b'e so used, but in most operations with bias cut rubberized cord vtire building fabric it is a simple operation to tear the fabric in a direction parallel tothe heavy main warp cord of the fabric and the tearing operation tears only rubber and small light weft cords. In order to provide for desired lengths of tire building fabric the measuring plate l0 is adapted to be positioned in any desired vertical relation with the plate 28, land this may be achieved by mounting 'the measuring plate llllupon a bracket il l2 having a longitudinallytslotted base portion H4 which is secured to 'the plate v2e byV a handledscrew I |6 which 'extends through the slot of the base I I4 and into a suitably tapped hole `in the plate 28.

Suitable means are incorporated in the appa- -ratus for indexing the 'turret I8 through a suitable horizontal arc, and typical'means for achieving `this purpose Yare illustrated -particularly in Figs. l and '3 of the drawings. Specifically, a

bracket is carried in a horizontal vposition for movement about a vertical pivot |22 secured to the platform 22. The bracket |20 is normally vswung loutwardly of the platform "22 by securing an arm |26 to the :bracket |28 which arm engages with a compression spring |28 carried by adjustable 'screw means |38 extending through a bracket |32 carried on the platform 2'2. An electric motor 35 is mounted on the bracket |20 and includes a vertically positioned shaft |38 carrying a sprocket :|48 which engages with a chain |42. The chain |42 extends around a narrow drum surface Y|44 carried by the base l2. By suitably adjusting the screw |38 the 'tension inthe chain |42 and its friction against the drum |44 may be controlled.

Electric current is supplied to the various motors incorporated with the apparatus by the use `of slip rings |58 which are carried on an extension |52 of the post |13, and to which electric r current may be fed'up through the centerof 4the 'stationary post. =Pick-iup "contacts 1154 trated in Fig. 1.

.I preferably incorporate with the apparatus some suitable means for preventing the operation of any one of the driving motors 42 in case the web material being fed by such motor becomes exhausted. These means may comprise an arm |60 which is secured in electrically 'insulated relation with the apparatus and on the cantilever bearing of the roller 58, and which carries a flexible electric cable |62 having a weighted electrical contact |64 carried "0n the lower end of the cable |62 with the 'contact |64 normally being spaced from the roller 60 by the web material W, as particularly illustrated in Fig. 7 of the drawings. However, when the web material becomes exhausted the weighted contact i154 moves down into electrical engagement with the roller 68 so as to prevent the operation of the motor 42, as hereinafter particularly described. This prevents vthe end of the liner L from being pulled completely off of the shaft 34 without the attention of the operator which sometimes causes the end of the liner to become tangled in the apparatus. After the web material is exhausted the tail end of the liner L is Wound up on the shaft 4e by rotating the shaft with `a crank on the squared end 48 of the shaft, or if desired, the operation can be controlled by a push butto-n operation of the motor 42 under the direct attention and control of the operator.

The automatic control means for the apparatus are particularly and diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. '9. Electrical input wires |80, generally from a three-phase 440 volt A. C. supply line, 'are secured to the stationary slip rings |50 from which the electric current is passed to each one of the several motors 42 for driving the 'several wind-up shafts 4Q, all in the manner schematically illustrated in Fig. 9. It will be evident from an inspection of the schematic wiring diagram of Fig. 9 that only the motors marked MI and M2 have been' shown in the wiring diagram, but it will be understood that if six webmaterial feeding mechanisms are incorporated Ain the apparatus that there will be six motors 42. However, the motors M3, M4, M5, and M6 are connected in the circuit in exactly the same way as motors MI and M2, and, therefore, 'the schematic except when electric current is being supplied 1 to drive the motor. The means for releasing the braking of the spring brakes generally comprise an electric solenoid f |82 which is shunted across two of the motor leads so that when electric current is applied to the motor the electric solenoid |82 is operated to move the brake shoe away from the motor shaft. A three-pole, single-throw switch is incorporated in the three-phase electrical leads to each one of motors MI,VM2, and Ml. Such switch means are indicated at MiS in the MI motor circuit, at MZS in the M2 motor circuit, and at MlS in the M1 motor circuit.

Two of the three-phase electrical leads from tth'esliprings. I 50- are connected to the primary .or` a' transformer |84 which has' one secondary `coil |86 which supplies low voltage, for example,

6 volts, to the light source 12. The transformer t|84 is, also, provided with a secondary |88 which -provides a larger voltage, for example, 110 volts, and with suitable amperage to operate relays MIR and M2R. It will be'understood that MIR relayY is adapted when energized to close MIS `.switches to thereby cause the operation of MI motor. Also, `M2R. relay when energized is adapted to ciose MZS switches and cause the operation of M2 motor.

Positioned in the electrical leads extending from the transformer secondary |88 to MIR relay is the photo-electric cell unit 84 which is adapted to be struck by the light beams from the light source 12. The arrangement and construc- .tion of the photo-electric cell unit 84 is such that `when the light beams from the light source 12 are cut ofi, for example, by the end of the web material W, the MIR relay will not be energized. However, once the web material W is removed by the operator the light beams from the light source 12 strikeA the photoelectric cell unit 84 to provide for the flow of a relatively small amount of electric current therein, which current serves to close Va` relay (not specically shown) in the photo-electric cell unit, and the closing of the relay closes switch means (not specically shown) so that the electric circuit from the transformer :secondary |88 to the MIR relay is completed and the MIR relay is actuated to close the MIS .switches and operate MI motor to thereby feed Aadditional web material W down until the end of .the web material W cuts off the light rays to the photo-electric cell unit 84. In exactly the same way the photo-electric cell unit 84 positioned in the electrical leads from the secondary |88 to the .MZR relay controls the operation of M2 motor.

. i In addition, the operation of the M2R. relay also lcontrols the indexing of the turret I 8. .achieved by extending the leads from the trans- This is former secondary I 88 to a MTR relay, which when actuated closes M'IS switches t'o operate M1 motor and index the turret I8 to the next station. Electric current flows to the MlR relay through ,switch 21 and switch MES. normally open and is held open by spring means,

The switch 21 is but' is adapted to be closed by engagement with Y the cam 26 on the hub 24, as the switch and vturret assembly rotate about the post I0. Switch M2S is normally open, also, but is adapted to be closed by M2R. relay at the same time that switches MZS are closed to operate the motor M2.

Thus, when M2R. relay is energized in the manner heretofore described to close M25 switches the MES switch is also closed to complete the electric'circuit through switch 21 to M'IR relay.

The energizing of M1R relay causes it to close M18 switches to thereby cause the ow of electric Ycurrent to M1 motor and the beginning of the inv dexing movement of the turret I8.

However, as soon as the switch 21 passes be- `yond the influence of cam 2S the electric circuit to the M1R relay would be broken and the index- -ing movement would be stopped. A holding circuit of suitable character is providedto keep the .MR relay circuit closed until the indexing move- -is energized in the manner last described the closing of the MTR relay not only closes the M1S switches, but, also, closes the M1S' switch to thereby provide a bridging or shunting circuit which will provide for the ilow of electric current to the M1R relay even after the switch 21 passes the cam 26 to thereby permit the opening of the switch 21. The holding circuit including the normally closed switch and the switch M1S will cause the continued flow of current to the relay M1Rl until the turret I8 has moved to the next station. At this time a small cam |92 strikes and opens the switch |90 and thereby breaks the ow of electric current to the relay MTR. Accordingly, flow of electric current to the relay M'IR is interrupted and the switches M1S and M1S are opened to stop the operation of the M1 motor and the indexing of the turret I8.

The breaking of the flow of electric current to the M'IR relay occurs at a time interval just prior .to the closing of the switch 21 by the cam 26 so that the ow of electric current to the M1R'relay is interrupted until the next indexing movement of the turret. It will be understood that the switches MZS and M2S have in the meantime been opened by the de-energizing of the MZR relay when the end of the web material W covers up the light beams passing from the light source 12 to the photo-electric cell unit 84. Also, it will Vbe understood that the coast of the turret I8 at the end of the indexing movement brings another switch 21 to a position to be closed by another cam 26. Therefore, the apparatus is in its original position so far as electric circuits are concerned and the indexing operation can be repeated by energizing the M2R. relay by the removal of web material W, all as above described. However, the M2 web feeding mechanism has moved away from the operator who is removing the web material, and it will be recognized that the next indexing movement of the turret I8 is controlled by the removal of web material from M4 station, and thereafter from M6 station, which will again bring M2 station around to a position adjacent the operator.

Although Fig. 9 does not illustrate M3 to M6 motors, relays, and switches, which have been omitted for the sake of simplicity, nevertheless, it will be understood that a M4S switch and a MGS' switch will be positioned in the electric circuit to the relay M'IR so as to close this relay circuit in exactly the same manner as the circuit is closed by the MZS switch.

If-micro-switches |00 are employed instead of the photo-electric cell units 84 to control the operation of the MSR and MGR relays the basic schematic wiring diagram of Fig. 9 is in no way altered.

Furthenhaving reference to Fig. 9, it should be noted that the safety stopping mechanism, including the bar |60, flexible electric cable |62, and weight contact |64, are connected in an electric circuit with a source of current supply 200 and a. relay 202. When'the contact |64 engages with the roller 60 the relay 202 is energized to ropen normally closed contacts 204 positioned at one or more places in the motor circuit. The safety stopping means just described has been illustrated only in `conjunction With MI motor, but it will be appreciated that similar safety means are incorporated with each one of the motors MI to M6.

It is -believed that the operation of my improved apparatus will be understood from the foregoing detailed description. Suffice it to say here that web material will be automatically fed in proper length at each one of the several stations, and after beingr removed by the operator the apparatus will be automatically indexed to bring additional web material adjacent the operator. In the meantime, the web material removed from the rst station has been automatically replaced by a new length of automatically measured web material. The entire operation can be. continuously repeated indefinitely, necessitat; ing only periodic replenishment of the web material on the supply rolls and the removal of the rolled-up liners.

From the foregoing, it will be recognized that the various objects of my invention have been achieved by the provision of a relatively simple, easily operated, substantially fool-proof apparatus for feeding a plurality of lengths of. web material in turn to a removing station, and particularly, for feeding the various web materials employed in the construction of a pneumatic tire to a position adjacent thel tire building operator, and in a manner so that the materials can be readily removed one by one by the operator in proper length and with a minimum of` attention and effort so that the tire building operation is greatly speeded up and facilitated.

While in accordance with the patent statutes l I have specically illustrated and described one embodiment of my invention, it should be particularly understood that I am not to be limited thereto or thereby, but that the scope of my invention is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

l, An automatic service turret for supplying web materials adjacent a tire building machine,v

or the like, and comprising a base, a turret rotatably supported on the base, a plurality of web material supplying stations carried by the turret, each station including let-oirV means for a roll of web material and liner, wind-up means for the liner, a plurality of means interposed between the let-oil means and the wind-up means for laterally spreading the liner, said web material and liner being carried at least in part in a substantiallyvert-ical plane between the let-off means and wind-upV means, rollerl means for separating the web` material and liner adjacent the top of thesubstantially vertical plane, means. for automatically'stopping the wind-up means when a desired length of web material isv separatedfrom the liner, adjustable gauge meansV for measuring aportion ci thelength of web material removed from the liner, means for automatically starting the wind-up means when the measured' portion of web.` material is removed from the remainder of thewebvmaterial, and means for automatically indexing the turret from one` station to the next after web material is removed from the rst station.

2. An automatic service turret for supplying webmaterials adjacent a tire building machine, or the like, and comprising a base, avturret rotatably supported on the base, aplurality of web material supplying stations carried; by the turret, eachY station including let-off means for a roll of web.- material and liner, wind-up means for the liner, a plurality of means interposedV between the let-oir means and the wind-up meansior laterally spreading the liner, said web material and liner being carried at least in part in avsubsstantially. vertical plane between the let-off' means and wind-.up means, roller means; for separating the web material and liner adjacent the top of the substantially; vertical plane; means for automatically stopping the wind-up means when a desired length of web material is separated from the linen, adjustable gauge-means for measuring, a portion of the length of web material removed from the liner, and means for automatically starting the wind-up means when themeasured portion of web material is removed from the remainder of the web material.

3. An automatic service turret for supplying web, materials adjacent a tire building machine, or the like and comprising a.base, a turret rotatably supported on the base, a plurality of web material supplying stations carried by the turret, each station including lets-,off means for a roll of web material and liner, Wind-up means for the liner, a plurality of means interposed between the let-oir means and the wind-up means for laterally spreading the liner, said web material and liner being, carried at, least in part in a substantially vertical plane between the let-oli' means and Wind-up means, roller means for separating the Web material and liner adjacent the top of the. substantially vertical plane, means for automatically stopping the wind-up means when a desired length of web materialis separated from the liner, adjustable gauge means for measuring a portion of, the length of web material removed from the liner, and means for automatically indexing the turret from one station to the next ai'ter web material is removed i'roni the first station.

4. Apparatus for supplying building materials adjacent a tire building machine, or the like, and comprising a base, a turret rotatably supported on the base, a plurality of web material supplying stations carried by the turret, each station including let-ofi` means for a roll of web` material and liner, said web material and'liner being carried at least in part in a substantially vertical plane between the let-off means and wind-up means, roller means for separating the web material and liner adjacent the top of the substantially vertical plane, means for automatically stopping the'wind-up means when a desired length of web material is separated from the liner, adjustable gauge means for measuring a portion of the length of web material removed from the liner, means for starting the windup means when a portion of web material is removed from the end of the length of web material, and means for automatically indexing the turret from one station to the next after web material is removed from the first station.

l5. Apparatus for supplying .building materials4 adjacent a tire building machine, or the like, and comprising a base, a turret rotatably supported onV the base, a plurality of web material supplying` stations carried by the turret, each station including let-off means for a roll of web material and liner, Wind-up means for the liner, said web material and liner being carried at least in part in a substantially vertical Iplane between the let-oil means and wind-up means, roller means for separating the web material and liner adjacent, the top of the substantially vertical plane,

means for automatically stopping the wind-up means when a desired length of web material is separated from the liner, adjustable gauge means for measuring a portion of the length of web material removed from the liner, and means for indexing the turret from one station to the next after web materialv is removed from the rst station.

6. An automatic service turret -for supplying web materials, and comprising a base, a turret rotatably supported on the base,4 a pluralityv of web material supplying stations carried by the turret, each station including let-oil means for a roll of web material and liner, wind-up means for the liner, said web material and liner .being carried at least in part in a substantially vertical'plan'e between the let-oli means and Windupmeans, means for separating the web material and liner adjacent the top of the substantially vertical plane, means for automatically stopping the wind-up means when a desired length of web material is separated from the liner, means for4 starting the wind-up means When a portion of web material is removed from the end of the length of web material, and means for indexing the turret from one station to the next after webfmaterial is removed from the rst station. 7. An-automatic service turret for supplying web-materials, and comprising a base, a turret rotatably supported on the base, a plurality of webrmaterial supplying stations carried by the turret, each station including let-off means for a roll of web material and liner, wind-up means for the liner, said web material and liner being carried at least in part in a substantially vertical plane between the let-off means and Wind-up meansymeans for separating the Web material and liner adjacent the top of the substantially vertical plane, means for automatically stopping the Wind-up means when a desired length of web material is separated from the liner, and means for automatically indexing the turret from one station to the next aiter web material is removed from the rst station.

Y8. An automatic service turret for supplying materials adjacent a tire .building machine, or the like, and comprising a base, a turret rotatably supported on the base, a plurality of web material supplying stations carried by the turret, each station including let-oilmeans or a roll of web material and liner, wind-up means for the liner, means for separating the web material and liner, means Vfor automatically stopping the Wind-up means when a desired length of web material is separated from the liner, means for automatically starting the wind-up means When certain 'of the web material is removed, and means for automatically indexing the turret from one station to the next after web material is removed from the first station.

9. Apparatus for supplying web materials and comprising a base, a turret rotatably supported on the base, a plurality of web material supplying stations carried by the turret, each station including let-off means for a roll of web material and liner, wind-up means for the liner, means for separating the Web material and liner, means for automatically stopping the wind-up means when a desired length of web material is separated from the liner, and means for automatically starting the wind-up means when certain of the web material is removed.

10. Apparatus for supplying web materials and including let-off means for a roll of web material and liner, Wind-up means for the liner, means for separating the webl material and liner, means for automatically stopping the wind-up means when a desired length of web material is separated from the liner, and means for automatically starting the wind-up means when certain of the web. material is removed.

11. Apparatus for supplying web materials, and comprising a base, a turret rotatably supported on the base, a plurality of web material supplying stations carried by the turret, each station including let-off means for a roll of web material and liner, wind-up means for the liner,"

a pluralityof'lneans interposed between the letoil?` means and the wind-up means for laterally' spreading the liner, said web material and liner' being carried at least in part in a substantially vertical plane Abetween the let-off means and Wind-up means, roller means for separating the web material and liner adjacent the top of the' substantially vertical plane, means for automatically rstopping the wind-up means when a desired length of web material is separated from the liner, and adjustable gauge means for measuring a portion of the length of web'material material supplying stations carried by the turret,

each station including let-oi means for a roll of web material and liner, wind-up meansior the liner, a plurality of means interposed between the let-off means and the wind-up means for laterally spreading the liner, said web material and liner being carried at least in part in a substantially vertical plane between the let-off means and wind-up means, roller means for separating the web material and liner adjacent the top of the substantially vertical plane, and means for automatically stopping the wind-up means when a desired length of web material is separated from the liner. n

13. Apparatus for supplying web material comprising a rotatable member, a plurality of web material supply stations carried by the rotatable member, each supply station including a support for a roll of web material, means for automatically advancing the webmaterial when a length thereof has been removed, means for automatically stopping the advancing web material when the original length of web material has been restored, means for automatically stopping the operation offthe web advancing means when the web material is used up, said stations forming a plurality of pairs, the stations of each pair facing at least partially towards each other, and means associated with astation of each pair for automatically indexing the rotatable member when the web material is removed from said last-named station.

14. Apparatus for supplying web material comprising a member, a plurality of Web material supply stations'carried by thevmember, each supply 'station including a supportfor a roll of web material, means for automatically advancing the web material when a length thereof has been removed, means for automatically stopping the advancingv web material when the original length of web material has been restored, means for automatically stopping the operation of the web advancing means when the web material is used up, and means associated with a station for automatically moving the member to present a second station when the web material is removed from said .rst station.`

15. Apparatus -for supplying'web material comprising'a member, a plurality of .webj material supply stations carried by the member, each supplyfstation including a support for a roll 4ofweb material, means for automatically advancing the web material when a length thereof has been removed, means for automatically stopping the advancing web material when the original length of web materiall has Vbeen restored, and means for automatically stoppingthe operation of the web advancing means when the web material. is used 16. Apparatus for supplying material comprising a movable member, a plurality of materia] supply stations carried by the movable member, each supply station including a support for Inaterial, means for automatically advancing the material when a length thereof has been removed, means for automatically stopping the advancing material when the original length of material has been restored, means for automatically stopping the operation of the web advancing means when the material is used up, and means -for automatically moving the member to present the stations in turn.

17. Apparatus for supplying material comprising a movable member, a plurality of material supply stations carried by the movable member, each supply station including a support for material, means for automatically advancing the material when a length thereof has been removed,

means for automatically stopping the advancing material when the original length of material has been restored, and means for automatically moving the member to present the stations in turn.

18. Apparatus for supplying web material comprising a movable member, a plurality of web material supply stations carried by the movable member, each supply station including a support for web material, means for automatically advancing the web material when a length thereof has been removed, means for automatically stopping the advancing web material when the original length of web material has been restored, and means associated With a station for automatically indexing the movable member when the web material is removed from said station.

19. Apparatus for supplying material comprising a rotatable member, a plurality of material supply stations carried by the rotatable member, each supply station including a support for a roll of material, means for automatically advancing the material when a length thereof has been removed, means for automatically stopping the advancing material when the original length of material has been restored, and means for automatically indexing the rotatable member.

20. Web material supply apparatus including web material supporting means, means for feeding web material from the supporting means, photo-electric cell means for controlling the operation of the feeding means, and means controlled by the photo cell means for bodily moving the web supporting means.

JORGEN I. HAASE. 

